Savoring San Francisco

Day 3: Barry, Beach Blanket Babylon

The city may be proud of its Golden Gate, Coit Tower and cable cars, but San Franciscans also love their ballpark. Now called SBC Park, the home of the Giants is a great place to spend an afternoon, whether you like baseball or not.

During day games you'll see lots of honeys here, who make their way to the park to soak up the sun and check out the bay where Barry Bonds has hit more than one ball into the famous Splash Zone.

A final night's splash could only be spent in what has become a 30-year tradition — Beach Blanket Babylon. This musical spoof show pulls no punches as it takes jabs at people and events, both local and far away. Political figures, celebrities and sports stars; none escape unscathed from the wild vaudeville action.

In addition to its cutting comedy, this show is famous for its hats. These head toppers make the 10-gallon jobs in Texas look small by comparison, but there's more to them than just size. The outrageous headgear sometimes steals the show, sometimes adorned with electronics, product placements and even scale model buildings. Watching the finale as a petite actress arrives on stage with a huge model of San Francisco landmarks on her head will definitely puts an exclamation point on your San Francisco visit.

tips for the trip

This city may be in California, but leave your car at home. Buy a CityPass (www.CityPass.com) instead — it includes admission to several key museums and sights, as well as a week's worth of riding on the Muni public transportation system.

If you're coming to San Francisco from Los Angeles, try the less expensive (only $40 one way), hassle-free California Shuttle Bus (www.cashuttlebus.com) that travels directly between the two cities.

Bring extra clothes to keep warm. Even if you travel in summer, remember what Mark Twain said: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."